Jury Weighs In On Lawsuit Stemming From A Fatal Truck Accident
On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, May 2, 2014.
No amount of money will ever bring back a loved one who has died, but that doesn’t mean that surviving families should not pursue civil action. Monetary awards can help to defray the burden of any medical expenses that were incurred and compensate the family for loss of future income, but it can also send a strong message to those who cost the family someone they loved.
On Aug. 17, 2010, an 18-wheeler truck crashed into a cement pillar and embankment before catching fire. Both the driver and the truck’s passenger perished in the 18-wheeler accident. The 32-year-old passenger was an El Paso resident.
While many families would have mourned and moved on, the 39-year-old driver’s family decided to take action. A lawsuit was filed against the three trucking companies involved charging them with creating an unreasonable schedule for the truckers forcing them to drive without sufficient rest and allowing the driver to take the wheel of the truck even though he wasn’t sufficiently qualified to do so.
After a long legal battle, a 168th District Court jury came to a decision in April, 2014. It recognized that XMex Transport LLC, Moore Freight Service Inc. and Trans Front Inc. were at fault for the accident. The jury subsequently awarded the driver’s family $4.6 million. Two of the trucking companies declined to comment on the verdict, while the third simply stated that the jury found it to be the least negligent company in the matter.
This case may never have come to fruition without the diligent work of the family’s legal counsel who was able to advocate on their behalf and keep the court’s focus on the responsible parties. The award won’t replace the man who was both a husband and father, but it will help the family who lost its primary breadwinner to keep their heads financially afloat.
Source: El Paso Times, “Jury awards $4.6 million to family of Horizon City truck driver who died in fiery 2010 crash” Adriana M. Chávez, Apr. 12, 2014